Infant&#39;s feeding bib



July 27, 1948. w, GIBSON 2,445,850

INFANTS FEEDING BIB Filed April 4, 1945 INVENTOR. 5/550)! A #ornex Patented July 27,1948

* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICELHVII Eleanor W. Gibson, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 4, 1945, Serial No. 586,566

The present invention pertains to a novel bib to be used by infants fed in a highchair or other chair having a tray over the lap of the infant.

The invention embodies improvements on the device shown in my United States Patent No. 2,321,670 of June 15, 1943.

The general object of the invention is that stated in the patent, namely, to provide a bib that catches food that may be thrown or spilled off the tray by the infant. To accomplish this object, the bib is formed with an apron that may be shaped as a trough beneath the tray to catch any food that is thrown or spilled off the tray.

A more particular object of the invention is to simplify the construction for supporting the edges of the apron to form the trough. Accordingly, in this invention, a narrowhem is formed along the lower edge and upward along both side edges of the apron, and this hem is gathered on a tape, elastic or other suitable material. The ends of the tape may be extended a substantial distance outside of the hem and may be used as ties to be attached to the highchair or to be fastenedtogether behind the back of the infant. The gather is preferably given resiliency. by the use of an elastic tape. After passing the apron between the lap'of the infant and the tray, the gathered hem is passed over the forward and side edges of the tray and remains attached thereto without the use of additional fastening means. The apron thus hangs from the tray in the form of a trough to prevent food from dropping onto the clothing of the infant or on the floor.

The bib is made of a Waterproof and easily washable material such as an oiled fabric and, on being taken off the infant, may be given a preliminary washing or even a thorough washing under the water tap.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a highchair showing the bib applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a partial front elevation of the bib;

Figure 3 is a partial rear elevation thereof;

Figure 4 is a detailed longitudinal section of Fi ure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate correspondingparts throughout.

The bib is shown as used in connection with a conventional highchair but may be used also with 5 Claims. (01. 2 19) any form of chair having'a tray over the lap of the occupant. In the present illustration the chair portion of a conventional highchair is des-' ignated by the numeral I. The chair portion in: cludes a back 2, a pair of side arms 3, and a tray 4 hinged to the back 2 and resting on the arms 3 in the usual manner.

The bib constituting this invention is made of a substantially rectangular sheet of suitable material having a main or bodice portion 5. At the upper corners the sheet is formed with lateral extensions 6 from the longitudinal edges and upward extensions 1 which are also continuous with the respective extensions 6. Each extension I is folded over the correspondin extension 6 and stitched thereto at 8, thereby forming a sleeve. The free end of each sleeve may, if desired, be formed with a narrow hem 9 having open ends, and a tie cord In is passed through each end with its ends exposed for tying. A binding H is fastened along the upper edgeof the bodice portion and-continued along the inner edges of the ex tensions l and extended off the sheet material at l2 at both ends so that it may be tied around the neck. The unstitch'ed free edges of each extension 1 may be fitted with a binding l3 and continued at M along opposite edges of the bodice a short distance from each of the sleeves.

A narrow hem I5 is formed along the lower transverse edge of the bodice portion and continued upward along the longitudinal edges to the bindings H or to a short distance from the sleeves. Through the hem is passed a tape l6, preferably an elastic tape, with its ends I51 prolonged a substantial distance beyond each open end of the hem. These ends may be tied to the highchair or tied together behind the wearer.

The hem I5 is gathered on the tape I6 therein, as indicated by the numeral l8, and in this connection it may be desirable to tack the ends of the hem at Hi to the tape [6 in order to maintain the gather.

The bib is put on the infant by placing the bodice in front and slipping the sleeves over the arms, as illustrated. The tie cords for the sleeves, neck and body are then tied in the manner described, and the gathered lower portion of the bodice is passed beneath the tray 4 and over the lap of the infant. The gathered edges are then brought up over the forward edge and forward corners of the tray 4, to which they remain attached because of the gather, especially if an elastic tape is used in the hem. The lower portion or apron of the bodice is thus suspended beneath the tray to form a trough. Inasmuch as washable, such as an oiled fabric, and may be washed under .aIaucet'or in a'washing machine.

Although a specific embodimentof the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A highchair bib comprising'a bodice portion, an apron at the lower part of said bodice portion and having transverse and longitudinal edges, means for attaching the upper bodice portion around the neck of an infant, anarrovr hem formed along the lower transverse edge of said apnonand extending a substantial distance. along both longitudinal edges to said upper bodice portion, said hem being permanently gathered.

2. A highchair bib comprising a bodice portion, an apron at the lower part of said bodice portion and having transverse and longitudinal edges, means-for attachingthe upper bodice portion around the neck of an infant, a narrow hem formed along the lower transverse edge of said apron and extending a substantial distance along both longitudinaledges to said upper bodice por tion,: a tapepassedthrough said hem and having free exposed ends atthe uppenpart of said bodice portion, said hem being permanently gather-ed on said tape.

'3. A highchair bib comprisin a .bodice .portion,.an apronat the lower partof said bodice portion and having transverse and longitudinal edges, means for attaching theupper bodice portion around-the neck of an infant, a narrow hem formed along the lower,transverseedgeof said apron and extending a susbtantial distance along both longitudinal edges tosaid upper bodice portion, an elastic tape passed through said hem and having free exposed ends at the upper part of said bodice portion, said hem being permanently gathered on said tape.

4. A highchair bib comprising a bodice portion, an apron at the lower part of said bodice portion and having transverse and longitudinal edges, means for attaching the upper bodice portion around the neck of the infant, a narrow hem formed along the lower transverse edge of said apron andextending as'ubstantial distance along both longitudinal edges tosaid upper bodice portion, a tape passed through said hem and having free exposed ends at the upper part of said bodice portion, said hem bein permanently gathered on said tape, the ends of said tape being extended as ties outward of the ends of said hem.

5. A highchair bib comprising a bodice portion, an apron at the lower part of said bodice .portion and having transverse and longitudinal edges, means for attaching the upper bodice portion around the peel: of an infant,a narrow hem formedalong the lower transverse edgepf said apron and extending a substantial distance along both longitudinal edges to said upper'bodice portion, an elastic tape passed through said hem and havin free exposed ends at the vupper part of said bodice portion, said hem-being permanently gathered on said tape, the endsof saidtape being extended as ties outward of the endsofsaidhem. I ELEANOR W. GIBSON REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences areoi recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 590,991 Lenhart Oct. 5, 1897 615,293 Maier Dec. 6,;1i35i8 699,238 Reed May 6, 1.992

1,963,130 Hall June 19, 1934 2,173,344 Spanel Sept. 19, ,1939

2,321,670 Gibson June15,;l9f l3 FOREIGN PATENTS Number I Country Date 1,008 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1885 

